Chicago Based Conversion to Judaism Program under Conservative Rabbinic Supervision

Converting to Judaism Online

and Jewish Conversion Chicago

Conversions by a Conservative Rabbinical Bet Din of Metropolitan Chicago

Sunday AM class and/or AN ONLINE AND CHICAGO TUTORIAL PROGRAM

Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg

847-331-3584

Adult Education Program awarded Gold Medal from United Synagogue of Coservative Judaism 2009http://www.uscj.org/images/SolSchAwards2009_AdultEducation.pdf

Thank you! I have been reading and listening to the UTube courses non stop since I spoke with you on the phone. This is a wonderful set of classes and so informative. This is wonderful. Thank you again. Colleen

The course is great! We would recommend it to anyone seeking a path to conversion.

The amount of information is astounding. You put so much work into the course.

We thank you tremendously. David and Cynthia

Websites
www.ehnt.org
Esynagogue.org and JewU Online Courses
www.convertjudaism.blogspot.com/
www.onlinehebrewschool.blogspot.com/
www.judaismviavideos.blogspot.com/
www.judaismtochristians.blogspot.com/
www.pararabbitraining.blogspot.com/
www.barmitzvahbvatmitzvahonlinetraining.blogspot.com/
847-331-3584

4500 Dempster st.
Skokie, IL 60076
ph: 847-675-4141
fax: 847-675-0327
rabbi@convertjudaism.org

Testimonials

I just wanted to let you know that if I hadn't told you before that I appreciate all the things that you have done for in my path to Judaism. I wouldn't be where I am at today without your help. I also wanted to tell you that because of that help I will be going to Israel next fall to study at Darche Noam/Shapell's yeshiva. They accepted my application and I will be spending at least a year there. I will be leaving right before Elul.

Thank you Rabbi! Mark

This is a wonderful approach to conversion and a great deal financially.

Thank you. Henry

Dear Rabbi Ginsburg,

I truly appreciate your words very much. The session are very well done and presented and Rabbi J. Ginsburg has become part of my life, a friend and teacher as I'm constantly watching his outstanding videos about all the different topics.In fact I'm planning to go this year to the States to your congregation to get the chance to meet you both personally. Regards, Roberto

While searching online I came across your site. I visited
several others, but frankly yours is the most detailed, well-thought,
and professional of the lot.
Rob

are quite honestly, some of the best I've seen on there! I'm a member of the video team, the leading "how-to" and expert online video site, (Maybe you caught our recent write-up in Time Magazine: just made their annual list of the 50 Best Websites of 2008!) and thought that you might be a perfect fit four our site. Our mission here at Howcast is to show people how to do practically anything with fun, informative how-to videos they'll actually want to watch -like yours! Your videos are so amazing, and I would love if we could include them on our site - "

"I think it is your great communication ability which draws me to you as a Rabbi. Each and every message is well thought out and superbly communicated. I thank you very much for the enlightenment I receive from you. I realize that I am but another non-Jewish person working on my conversion to Judaism, so my opinion is somewhat less educated than some others, but I receive great pleasure from listening to you via ipod. Please let me encourage you as well as thank you for your efforts."

Video impact and there is hope...

Dear Rabbi,
thank you for those excellent videos. I never knew anything about judaism until i visited some friends of mine in Israel ( Israeli's i went to college with) lol! at the time i was non practicing muslim(convert). After my experience there a month 2 weeks on a kibbutz and the other 2 weeks traveling around, I began studying a lot about the history of the country etc. It definitely changed my whole political philosophy and life in general. I am now a practicing nothing , but your videos are very informative and please keep it up.. Before going to Israel i did not realize how diverse Israel was in terms of race etc it definitely suprised me.
Thank you again.
Shalom
Toda Raba

Dear Rabbi:

" I wanted to write to thank you for taking the time to develop and place online the series of videos covering the Jewish tradition, prayer and custom. I want to let you know that your videos I believe are very useful and I find it truly inspiring that -- when you made the videos --you had no idea that they would touch me or any other person, per se, yet you took the time to develop the series and had the foresight to see that people, myself included, would benefit from the series. Thank you.

By way of background, I grew up outside of Boston in a Jewish household. I never, ever like Hebrew school and did just about everything I could to avoid or skip it. I was Bar Mitzvahed, then almost immediately -- to put it mildly -- religion fell out of favor with me. (It probably fell out of favor long before). Today is my 25th birthday. About six months ago when I was living in Boston, I called my cousin and said "Would you and your wife like to do Shabbat this weekend?" He says back "What do you mean by that?" ... I say, "I mean, I provide the Chullah, you provide the wine." ... About five minutes later he calls me back and says "Pam wants to know if you want to do the candles?" ... I say "It wouldn't be shabbat without them." ... Five minutes later he calls me back and says "Pam wants to know if you are serious." Every week after that, our Shabbat dinner stated to include more and more of the "grandchildren" (my cousins) and what was amazing is that there was no adult standing there telling us we had to do it. Now that I moved to Texas, I am getting involved in the local Temple, and it's really nice to have your refreshers to study and get up to speed. Thanks again and please keep posting new videos. With kind regards,

Shalom Rabbi

Just wanted to write a quick email to say how much I admire your work through your websites. I came across a video on youtube, which led me to reading more about your work, a fantastic idea. Although I don't come from a remote community in Scotland, our numbers are dwindling, ., I wish you lots of success and if I can be of help or support in promoting my word of mouth or any other way, I would be genuinely happy to do so.
sCOTLAND

Dear Rabbi,
Thank you for the videos you have posted online. You are helping to make Judaism accessible.
I am learning as an adult, and teaching my three-year-old son along the way.
Thank you and best wishes,
Martin
Toronto, Canada

Good evening Rabbi,

My name is . While I am not Jewish, I was, at one time, a Jewish studies major during my undergraduate years. I stumbled across your video series a few days ago after reading an article on the Time magazine website that featured your video series as a new way of using YouTube as a conduit for religious discussion. I find them informative and interesting, so thanks for that.

Islam and Judaism

Thank you for the peaceful message on your video.

Ibrahim, UK

Thanks for the videos

I thought I message you to thank you for taking the trouble to record all your very informative videos. For a non-jew (living in Ireland) they have been very educational (the jokes are particularly good - I'm still smiling at the passover one).

All the best Conor

Shalom

I am not jewish but i find great joy in your videos because i am interested in different cultures. I have thought about conveting to judaism, but is so hard when youve brought up to believe in one thing ( more like brain washed). Please respond.

Whitney

general

I love what you do ,you are a great rabbi and a great person

Hi Rabbi,
Your stuff from You tube is great keep it coming!
B'shalom
Curriculum Coordinator

Hello!
I teach 7th grade social studies. As part of the Indiana curriculum, we are to teach about the three religions that are centered in the Middle East: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Our textbook is so politically correct, (Yes, it was printed right after 9/11 and goes way overboard on trying to portray Islam as most peaceful.), that it really doesn't say much about Judaism or Christianity - there is no substance. I have never used it to teach these lessons. Instead, I've worked really hard to find authentic sources that really explain how people from each of these religions live. I was thrilled to have discovered your videos on Youtube! Thank you so much for posting them! To be honest, living in this part of Indiana, I never get to meet people of the Jewish faith. I would love to be able to chat over a cup of coffee with someone someday to learn more.
Thanks again so very much! P.S. My husband and I own the movie Ushpizin. It's one of our favorites, and we cry every time we see it. I show parts of it, too, in my class.

Email-small world story

What a small world we live in. I was one of three on the Beit Din of a wonderful young lady this afternoon. Her name is Val.
The Rabbi at the Reform Temple here tries to have someone that has converted to Judaism on the panel. This time I was fortunately asked. Through the course of questions, Val and I discovered that weboth know your through your videos! The others on the panel were at a loss to our excitement. We both had big smiles on our faces and it really broke the ice.
ValWe had a chance to talk after the Beit Din, before her Mikvah, about all the things we learned from you. We both lived rather far awayfrom a Synagogue and your were our lifeline to Judaism. I hope you understand the scope of the good work that you do. I personally can't thank you enough for what you have done for me.Today's experience taught me that I am not alone in feeling this way. Scott

4500 Dempster st.
Skokie, IL 60076
ph: 847-675-4141
fax: 847-675-0327
rabbi@convertjudaism.org